Mountain hikes instilled in me a life-long urge to get to the top of any inviting summit or peak.

I participated on debating teams and in student government, and served as senior class president.

I have a tendency to be lucky and make the right choices based on limited information.

More by example than by word, my father taught me logical reasoning, compassion, love of others, honesty, and discipline applied with understanding.

A painstaking course in qualitative and quantitative analysis by John Wing gave me an appreciation of the need for, and beauty of, accurate measurement.

It wasn't until late high school and early college that I gained enough size and skill to make me welcome on intramural basketball teams.

An unexpected benefit of my career in biochemistry has been travel.